The SLS entrepreneur becomes real, indicates that the program needs to focus on "affordability"

Each year, NASA spends nearly $ 4 billion on the development of its exploration equipment, including the Space Launch System rocket, the Orion space shuttle, the launch pad and related facilities. This is a large sum of money, which accounts for nearly half of the space agency 's expenditures on manned space flight activities. The development is underway since 2011 and NASA hopes to finally fly the vehicles together in 2020.

The exploration program divides these funds among four key contractors who have already played a key role in the space shuttle program and who now support the SLS and Orion rocket. High-level representatives of these four companies, Aerojet Rocketdyne, Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Northrop Grumman, appeared last week for a panel discussion at the annual Wernher von Braun Memorial Symposium in Huntsville, Alabama.

For the most part, the presentations were as usual for this type of event: the Vice Presidents of the companies described the progress made on this or that component of the rocket and the rocket. Spacecraft. Although the Space Launch System rocket is launched three years later than planned, and as its program exceeds the budget and was recently recognized by the NASA inspector as being poorly managed, you would not have it. learned from these presentations.

However, a panelist did warn his colleagues. Former Northrop Grumman astronaut, vice president and general manager of propulsion, Charlie Precourt, described his company's contributions to the rocket (Northrop Grumman recently acquired Orbital ATK). They build large solid rocket propellers that will give a boost to the launch pad. However, Precourt preceded its update of a message on affordability: while the exploration program moved from development to operations with the first flight of SLS and Orion in 2020, the costs must go down, he said.

Affordability

"We have to run, but we also need to plan for the future in terms of survivability, sustainability and financial capability," said Precourt. "I used these three words intentionally about this program, we need to make sure we have the affordability mentality, and I do not think it's too early for all of us, NASA's counterparts, to start to think of that. "

Precourt noted that there was a lot of criticism of the SLS rocket program outside of the major entrepreneurs involved in its development. (These critics cited the cost – NASA has already spent $ 12 billion to develop the rocket, which remains at least two years after the flight – in addition to a low flight rate and cost of $ 40 million. opportunity lost). The rocket has survived significant delays and cost overruns as it enjoys significant support in Congress. The vehicle has 1,100 contractors in 43 states, covering numerous legislative districts.

"We in the program tend not to think about the need to defend our interests," said Precourt. "There are many people who have other ideas about how we should accomplish this mission, so I think it's incumbent upon us, it's not too early to think about the transition from development to production and this implies a totally different management philosophy, cost structure for all of us ".

Precourt said subcontractors should consider a future in which NASA's multi-billion dollar rocket development costs must be cut in half for the SLS vehicle to have a solid future.

"We must all think about [how] our annual budget for this will not be what it is being developed, "he said. It is a very serious problem that we need to look at and try to rectify so that we are sustainable. "

While others had ideas about Precourt's comments, they did not share them in the ensuing discussion.